Dr Íde Delargy, Clinical Lead for the new Programme, with Hugh Kane, Chairperson of the PHMP.
A new service, the Practitioner Health Matters Programme (PHMP), which aims to support health professionals, including dentists, who may have a mental health difficulty or an alcohol- or drug-related problem, was launched recently in Dublin. The new Programme, which is open to doctors, dentists and pharmacists, has been designed to reflect international best practice in practitioner health. An independent charitable organisation, the PHMP has the support of the representative and training bodies for the medical, dental and pharmacy professions, including the Irish Dental Association, as well as the three professional regulatory bodies for those professions.
Dr Íde Delargy, Clinical Lead for the new Programme, said there is clearly a need out there, as health professionals are very slow to come forward to declare that they may have a mental health or alcohol- or drug-related problem. She said health practitioners were often reluctant to come forward because the people they needed to approach were very often their peers and this was a potential barrier to treatment: The key to overcoming this reluctance is to ensure that they will receive a high standard of care in a non-judgmental atmosphere and with complete confidentiality assured. We want people affected by these issues to seek help early and to know they can come forward safely and in confidence to have their health needs met”.
Hugh Kane, Chairperson of the PHMP, said: “This is clearly an important service for practitioners. Often the person experiencing difficulties is the last person to realise they need help. That is why we are raising awareness around these issues and we would encourage colleagues, family and friends to watch out for everything from subtle warning signs to the more obvious ones. Discussing these issues with someone in difficulty can be extremely challenging, but it can also be lifesaving. Ignoring problems, as we often did in the past, benefits no one”. For full details, telephone 01-297 0356, email confidential@practitionerhealth.ie, or log on to www.practitionerhealth.ie.